Songs from the Olive Branch: La Grama Es Siempre Mas Verde

I am tired, and sick this week. I think it's a cold, but I keep sweating and the headaches are bad.

Suchitoto is very... "tranquilo" as they say here, and it is even more tranquilo when you should stay in bed. I feel bored, and then I think back to the many times in my life that I have been busy and anxious. I think about that, and I remember to be grateful for quiet and calm.

Yet, there is always a story to tell. We are here in El Salvador on tourist visas, which means we have to leave the country every 90 days. Our 90 days is coming up, November 4th. Hard to believe we have been in Central America this long!

Anyhow, we have been told that we can extend our visa one time, and tried to research the process online. We came to the Government Center in San Salvador with all our papers, thinking we would easily be approved. Alas, it was not so easy.

We need some official documents from the Arts Center, to fill out a different form, specific things in a letter from them, and lots of things notarized. All in all the notarized pages may cost $50.00 or so, I am not sure. That's what we get for trusting the internet, eh?

After that excitement we went to the Gallerias, one of the many malls in San Salvador. It felt so strange, like we were back in the US. To make up for our disappointment, we got coffee from STARBUCKS. There is a Starbucks in El Salvador? Yes. And the lattes? Are the exact same price. Sigh. Still delicious.

We decided to get some more experience with the bus system here, and took a bus over to the Postal Center for Chris to pick up a package. I sat next to the kindest older man, and he and I talked about music and learning languages. We were so enjoying talking that he forgot to tell us where to get off the bus! Thankfully Chris was paying attention and we found our way.

That day we probably asked 20 different people questions about where to go or what bus to take. Each one of them took the time to help us find our way, and would do their best to make sure we got there. I do think El Salvadorans are some of the nicest people I have met, ever.

We waited for about 3 hours at the Customs center of the Postal Center. Waited, and waited. Each person had their name called 3 separate times, to talk to 3 different people. It was a prime example of infrastructure gone wrong. Inefficiency at its worst.

When we arrived we sat down in one chair. The guard-in-charge instructed us to move to another chair. Then he separated us in different chairs. Then we were moved again. I hope someone was video taping those moments, because it was pretty funny.

At 2:00 I announced to the guard-in-charge that I was hungry. He responded, "oh, there's food right up the hill over there. You can bring some back for your husband." Fine. I went up the wrong hill, landed in another office. They called down to security, "a white girl is going to go through the gate to get food." I showed up at the gate. "We've been waiting for you," they told me. They raved about all the street food and where I could go. After 10 minutes of chatting, I headed on my way.

There was very little left at 2:00, after the lunch rush. We got 2 Mexican Sandwiches, which were basically mayonnaise with ham. Boy was it good.

After the great waiting, we took another bus to MetroCentro, another mall that is even bigger than the Gallerias. Looking at all the signs, you'd think you were in the states. Everything is in English.

San Salvador has a lot of problems with gang violence and extortion. Because of that, the malls are one of the safer places to go to hang out. So, everyone goes there - it is the place to be.

I was struck by the huge difference between the rural communities of Suchitoto to the malls of San Salvador. The shoes are insanely expensive in the malls - I mean $60-$80 for some flats - and there are people that can pay these prices. Yet there are many people without work, who can barely afford tortillas to eat.

I realize that these economic differences exist in the states too, but it seems to be even more so here. There is not a living wage, and most things are the same price as they are in the states. Who won the war, really? You can smell the American consumerism in the air.

Anyhow, the visa saga continues. Thanks to the great staff at CAP we will have our papers by Monday, pay the big bucks to get them notarized, catch a ride in to San Salvador with Peggy, and turn them in. Then we will have to return later that week to pick up our passports, if they are approved that is!

"...and the best thing you've ever done for me

is to help me take my life less seriously

it's only life, after all"

-Indigo Girls